The Memorial Foundation’s fifth cohort of Impact Fellows convened in Washington, DC,
July 21-23, 2026 for the 5th Annual Capstone Convening. Fellows from across the
United States spent 2.5 days learning, connecting, and collaborating as part of the year-
long experience. During the Convening, Fellows engaged with policymakers, policy
advocates, corporate and non-profit leaders, as well as other leading voices who help to
shape the global advocacy ecosystem. This year’s convening continued to be rooted in
the program’s founding theme, “Moving from protest to policy change.”
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As a special treat, Fellows heard from and engaged with Congressman Al Green (TX-
9), who stopped by to share personal lessons and encouragement from his more than
two-decade career in public service. The Convening also included a personalized tour
of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and opportunities for Fellows to share more
about the impact work they are leading in their respective communities. Rounding out a
star-studded speaker roster, the Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, President and CEO of the
National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), delivered an inspiring and powerful closing
keynote – reminding Fellows that “when we welcome conflict, it not only gives us
courage, it gives us capacity!”

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